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11 Reasons to Avoid Vegetable Oils Like They Were a Plague

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Discover why it is important to use alternative oils in your daily diet. Vegetable oils are high in Omega-6 and can cause problems in large quantities. Additionally, linoleic acid accumulates in cell membranes.

coconut oil

This This article is very revealing, concise, and although extensive, it delves into the topic of edible vegetable oils.

It gives us the reason why we use alternative oils such as coconut oil for our daily diet. I hope you read it calmly and in detail.

  1. Vegetable Oils are extremely high in Omega-6 linoleic acid

You have probably heard of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids before.

They are often called essential fatty acids, because the body lacks the enzymes to make them. These fatty acids play an important role in many biochemical processes, including those related to inflammation, immunity, and blood clotting.

The problem is ... we need to get Omega-3 and Omega-6 in some balance. When this balance is thrown out of balance, these important biochemical pathways can be disrupted. For example, these two types of fatty acids often compete for the same enzymes and the same spots on cell membranes.

They have often been related, but they can also have opposite roles. For example, both of them are used to produce signaling molecules called eicosanoids, but eicosanoids made from Omega-6 tend to be pro-inflammatory, while those made from omega-3 tend to be anti-inflammatory.

Throughout evolution, we consume balanced amounts of both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. The problem today is that this balance is drastically skewed towards Omega-6.

Not only do people eat too much omega-6, but their omega-3 intake is also incredibly low, which is a recipe for disaster.

Today our intake of Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio which was around 1: 1 or 3: 1, these days is roughly 16: 1… which is far outside of evolutionary norms.

Vegetable oils are the largest source of Omega-6 fatty acids in the diet… at the moment.

They are particularly high in the Omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid. This fatty acid causes a number of problems when consumed in excessive amounts ... especially when the intake of Omega-3 is low (which is often the case).

Bottom Line: Vegetable oils are very high in an Omega-6 fatty acid, called linoleic acid, which can contribute to all kinds of problems in large amounts.

2. Linoleic Acid accumulates in cell membranes

Fats are more than sources of energy ...

Some of them have potent biological activity, and some remain in the body where they are used for structural and/or functional purposes.

It turns out that linoleic acid, the main fatty acid in plant fats, accumulates in the body's fat cells, as well as in cell membranes. What this means is that our excessive consumption of vegetable oils is leading to structural changes within the tissues of our body.

The linoleic acid content of the breastmilk it has also increased significantly. I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty scary.

Bottom Line: Studies have shown that the linoleic acid content of human fat cells and cell membranes has increased dramatically in recent decades.

3. Eating excess linoleic acid increases oxidative stress and contributes to endothelial dysfunction

Excess linoleic acid makes cells sensitive to damage by free radicals, highly reactive molecules that constantly form in the body. Again, polyunsaturated fats like linoleic acid have two or more double bonds in their chemical structure.

The real function of antioxidants is to help neutralize free radicals, and when free radicals in the body outnumber antioxidants, it leads to a condition known as oxidative stress.

Not surprisingly, because polyunsaturated fats are more susceptible to free radical damage, studies have shown that a high intake of linoleic acid can contribute to oxidative stress.

In a controlled trial, people who were fed a diet rich in Omega-6 linoleic acid, mainly from sunflower oil, had significantly increased markers of oxidative stress in their blood. Another thing they noticed was that blood markers for nitric oxide (NO) levels had dropped.

Nitric oxide is a signaling molecule produced by the endothelium, the thin layer of cells that lines the vascular system, which helps to dilate blood vessels and keep blood pressure low.

Nitric oxide depletion is the initial stage of endothelial dysfunction, where the lining of the vascular system stops working as expected.

Another study conducted in test tubes showed that linoleic acid stimulates a pro-inflammatory state in endothelial cells.

Endothelial dysfunction is actually one of the first steps on the road to heart disease and other serious vascular problems.

Bottom Line: Linoleic acid from vegetable oils increases oxidative stress in the body, contributing to a state called endothelial dysfunction. This is a step towards heart disease.

4. Vegetable oils reduce LDL levels, but also lower HDL

One of the main reasons vegetable oils are (wrongly) considered healthy is that consuming them can lower total and LDL cholesterol.

As most people know, LDL is often referred to as the “bad” cholesterol.

This is actually supported by science… numerous studies show that consuming vegetable oils can lower LDL cholesterol, a well-established risk factor for heart disease. However… it is important to note that this is only a risk factor, not an actual disease.

What really matters is how vegetable oils affect hard end points like heart disease itself, as well as other diseases and the risk of death.

That said, vegetable oils have also shown slightly lower HDL levels, which is a bad situation because having high HDL is associated with a low risk of heart disease.

Conclusion: It is true that vegetable oils can reduce total and LDL cholesterol. However, it can also lower HDL, the “good” cholesterol.

5. Vegetable oils increase the oxidation of LDL lipoproteins

What people refer to as “LDL cholesterol” is not actually cholesterol. LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein...the protein that carries cholesterol in the bloodstream.

One of the crucial steps in the heart disease process is the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, forming what are called oxidized LDL particles, or ox-LDL. These are the LDL particles that accumulate inside the walls of the arteries.

The polyunsaturated fats in vegetable oils don't actually find their way into LDL lipoproteins, making them much more likely to be oxidize and form ox-LDL particles.

Bottom Line: Vegetable oils increase the susceptibility of LDL lipoproteins to oxidation, a crucial step in the development of heart disease.

  1. Some studies have linked them to an increased risk of heart disease and death.

Heart disease is the world's most common cause of death.

The evidence regarding vegetable oils and heart disease is quite mixed, and their use is highly controversial.

The best way to determine how they affect heart disease, is to take into account randomized controlled trials where large groups of people are fed vegetable oils for many years. Fortunately, many studies have been done.

3 of these studies found no significant effects…but another 3 did find an increased risk of heart disease.

Two of the studies have shown a benefit, but one of them had a number of flaws in its construction.

It is often claimed that “polyunsaturated fats” prevent heart disease, but it is a big mistake to lump all polyunsaturated fats together, since this category includes both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

In a review that compared studies in which people ate Omega-3 and Omega-6, there was a biased effect. But when they looked at studies in which people were only advised to eat more Omega-6 (from vegetable oils), they found that the risk of heart disease was increased by 16%. The effect was not statistically significant, but very close to it.

That said, several observational studies have shown that consumption of these oils is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

However… observational studies cannot prove causality, they are mostly useful for generating hypotheses worthy of further study.

When we have conflicting information from observational studies and controlled trials, go with what the controlled trials say…because these are the only types of studies that can prove causality.

If we look at the best available evidence, the consumption of vegetable oils seems to be more likely to cause heart disease than to prevent it.

Bottom Line: The evidence regarding vegetable oils and heart disease is mixed, but several high-quality studies have found them to increase the risk of heart disease.

  1. Vegetable oils are a cooking disaster

As mentioned above, one problem with fatty acids in vegetable oils is that they tend to react with oxygen. This not only happens inside the body, but also happens when these oils get hot. This is why using vegetable oils for cooking is a terrible idea.

Compared to heat-stable fats like saturated and monounsaturated fats, cooking with various forms of vegetable oil promotes the creation of large amounts of disease-promoting compounds.

Some of these harmful compounds vaporize and can contribute to  lung cancer when inhaled. Just being present in a kitchen where vegetable oils are used can increase the risk of lung cancer.

Bottom Line: Vegetable oils are high in polyunsaturated fats, which are easily damaged during cooking and can even vaporize and form compounds that can contribute to lung cancer when inhaled.

  1. Vegetable Oils May Raise Cancer Risk

There is some evidence that vegetable oils may increase the risk of cancer. Because vegetable oils contain highly reactive fatty acids that sit on cell membranes, they contribute to oxidative damage. When fatty acids in membranes become oxidized, they can cause chain reactions.

If you think of the cell membrane as a cloud, these oxidative chain reactions are like little bolts of lightning going from one side to the other. These reactions can damage important molecules in the cell, not only fatty acids in the cell membrane, but also other structures such as proteins and DNA, and can also form various carcinogenic compounds within cells.

By damaging DNA, these oils can increase the risk of damaging damage that contributes to increased cancer risk over time.

In an 8-year controlled trial, the group that replaced their saturated fat intake with vegetable oils was almost twice as likely to die from cancer. The difference was not statistically significant, but very alarming.

Additionally, numerous observational studies have found a strong association between vegetable oil consumption and cancer in humans.

This is supported by a large number of studies on laboratory animals, showing that vegetable oils led to cancer in these animals…especially breast cancer, the most common type of cancer in women.

Bottom Line: Several lines of evidence suggest that vegetable oil consumption may increase cancer risk, which makes a lot of sense given the fact that they make cells more susceptible to oxidative damage.

  1. Vegetable oil consumption has been linked to violent behavior

Polyunsaturated fats accumulate in the brain. In fact… the brain is about 80% fat, and a large part of it is Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, about 15-30% of the dry weight of the brain (63).

If omega-6 fats from vegetable oils compete for the same enzymes and places in cell membranes as omega-3 fats, then it makes sense that they should affect brain function as well.

Interestingly, studies have found strong correlations between vegetable oil consumption and violent behavior, including homicide.

Of course, correlation does not equal causation, so there is no guarantee that vegetable oils caused the higher homicide rates, but the statistical correlation is surprising.

Bottom Line: Polyunsaturated fats are concentrated in the brain, and many believe our vegetable oil consumption is leading to mental health problems, including violent behavior.

  1. Vegetable oils are highly refined and processed foods without any beneficial nutrients

One thing most nutritionists agree on is that whole foods are better, unprocessed foods tend to be significantly more nutritious and healthier than their processed counterparts.

But most vegetable oils are highly refined…the most common way to extract them from their seeds is through harsh chemical processes involving bleaching, deodorizing, and the use of the toxic solvent hexane.

Because of this, almost all vitamins and phytonutrients are removed from these oils.

Therefore, they can certainly be classified as “empty” calories.

Bottom Line: Most vegetable oils are highly processed refined products, completely lacking in essential nutrients.

  1. Commonly marketed vegetable oils are loaded with trans fatsUnless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard of trans fats before. These are unsaturated fats that have been chemically modified to be solid at room temperature. They are usually found in highly processed foods. They are so toxic that governments around the world have put in place laws in order to remove them from food. However…what most people don't know is that vegetable oils contain significant amounts of trans fats.

In a study of common soybean and canola oils in US supermarkets, the content of trans fat was measured. In them, 0,56% to 4,2% of the total fatty acids were found, which are enormous amounts.

Surprisingly, trans fat content is rarely listed on food labels.

Final message to take home ...

There are many healthy fats that humans have been eating for hundreds of years without any problems (since before all “modern” diseases became problems). This includes the olive oil extra virgin (better), as well as the coconut oil and grass-fed animal butter…which are all exceptionally healthy in the context of a balanced diet.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for vegetable oils. These are the refined and processed fats that have been shown to cause serious harm in countless studies.

If you care about your health and want to avoid chronic disease, then I highly recommend avoiding vegetable oils like your life depends on it…because it really does…

Text translated and adapted from Eat Local Grown by Kris Gunners

Study references on the website.

Frequently asked questions from our readers:

Reasons to avoid vegetable oils are: they contain high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, which can cause inflammation in the body; They are highly processed and may contain harmful additives; They can be high in trans fats, which are harmful to cardiovascular health; They are often high in calories and can contribute to weight gain; They can be difficult to digest and cause gastrointestinal upset; they can easily oxidize and generate free radicals in the body; They may contain residues of pesticides and chemicals used in their production; they may have an imbalance in the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids; They can be refined with chemicals such as hexane; They may contain saturated fats, which can raise cholesterol levels; and can have a negative impact on heart health and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Read more here: https://www.equilibriumx.com/tips/11-razones-para-evitar-los-aceites-vegetales-como-si-de-la-peste-se-tratara-2
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Last modified: March 21, 2024